Steel Bridge closing to cars, trucks today through Aug. 25

The Steel Bridge in downtown Portland will close to cars and trucks today through Aug. 25 while workers connect the MAX light-rail line to new tracks.

The seven bus routes that cross the bridge have been detoured to the Broadway and Burnside bridges since June 1. The bus detour will continue until Aug. 31.

On Aug. 2, the bridge will close to MAX trains, reopening Aug. 25. Shuttle buses will use the Burnside Bridge to take MAX passengers across the Willamette River to the Rose Quarter station on the east side and to the Old Town/Chinatown station on the west side.

The work is part of the $576 million Interstate 205/Portland Mall project.

The closures involve only the upper deck of the bridge, used by MAX and motor vehicles. The lower deck, used by Amtrak trains, pedestrians and cyclists, will remain open. TriMet says walking across the bridge to reconnect with MAX trains on the other side may be as fast as taking one of the bus shuttles.